The Verdon Gorge is one of the most popular climbing destinations in France. As climbers ascend the limestone cliff walls of the canyon they are able to look down upon the Verdon River that shoots through the void. With over 1,000 feet to scale, climbers are likely to want a place to rest and regroup along the way. That's where Christophe Benichou Architectures comes in.
Called Verdon Balconies, the group has conceived a theoretical resting space for climbers of the gorge. "At the heart of this vertical universe, suspended platforms offer a welcome horizontal rest. They can welcome climbers for a simple break or for the night, basically sheltered from the wind and the falls of stone," the studio writes about the project. The structures are entirely metallic, offering a light minimalist product for the fatigued seeking refuge.
The beautiful elevations in our world are here for us to share. Some people have the ability to stroll the low lying hills while others are able to scale the tallest peaks, we all have our limits and our desires to achieve.
Adding structures, however temporary, only detract from the beauty of these immense natural wonders. Let’s leave the faces of our mountains, we are already impacting on the rest of the land.
Architect/ Climber
Beautifully stated. The conversation about where the line is drawn is a fascinating one. Mountaineering huts, bolted routes, cables, via ferrata, funiculars, cable cars, ski lifts, helicopters, and other aspects are, to a greater or lesser degree, all a part of the history of exploring the outdoors.
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Please, no. I climb to get away from the manmade bullshit.
Where do you climb?
Depends on where I'm at. Some of my favorite spots: The Gunks, New River Gorge, Seneca Rocks, Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Lover's Leap, Red Rocks. Squamish is on my to-do list.
Sounds fascinating. I've never graduated out of the bouldering gym... and I've been looking at lead certification for a while. Does not help that the outdoor season in my area is so damn short.
I'm dying to get to Joshua Tree. I, too, am mostly a gym rat, but I make it to Central Oregon on occasion.
It's fun. I do trad almost exclusively. Sport routes tend to attract gumbys and my partner does not like to boulder.
what a horrible idea? They planning to build add ladder too?
No, 4 lane highway, reststop, gift shop, and tour bus parking.
Ladders would be an even worse idea. If you want to sleep on a cliff buy a fucking portaledge.
I proposed a project almost identical to this as a "reading space" in a 2nd year undergrad studio.
I agree with SneakyPete.
What about wheelchair access?
And while we're at it, I'm not seeing a lot of social diversity among those climbers.
and ADA restrooms
Restroom = openings in steel grate
complete with tactile signage below to warn the visually impaired climbers on the wall about falling "debris" no doubt
While I appreciate the snark, the climbing community is pretty welcoming of diversity, both in the social and accessibility spheres.
That's actually good to hear. My hunch is that this designer of "architectures" may not have much familiarity with that community.
Pete is correct. I’ve seen plenty of people roll up to a climbing wall in wheel chair, harness up, and get to work. My snark is aimed at the poorly thought out project, not the sports which I like to call myself a member of, even if my shoes only see gym routes.
The beautiful elevations in our world are here for us to share. Some people have the ability to stroll the low lying hills while others are able to scale the tallest peaks, we all have our limits and our desires to achieve.
Adding structures, however temporary, only detract from the beauty of these immense natural wonders. Let’s leave the faces of our mountains, we are already impacting on the rest of the land.
Architect/ Climber
Beautifully stated. The conversation about where the line is drawn is a fascinating one. Mountaineering huts, bolted routes, cables, via ferrata, funiculars, cable cars, ski lifts, helicopters, and other aspects are, to a greater or lesser degree, all a part of the history of exploring the outdoors.
I agree it's a fine line to be walked. But in this case it's clear the architect here has little knowledge of the history or culture in which their proposed project is inserted: the text clams it will be "basically sheltered from the wind and the falls of stone". Any climber who has seen how violent a rockfall or storm can be, will laugh at this assertion. Also, "climbers are likely to want a place to rest and regroup along the way".. sure, but they don't just stroll into fixed infrastructure as one would check into a hotel. On multipitch routes you climb until you can't any more and then make your shelter. The real discussions among climbers are around what sort of fixed gear should be left on routes (tiny bolts, nothing like this gigantic hunk of metal)
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